Governor David Umahi has threatened to deal decisively with parents of the “unknown gunmen” killing innocent persons under the guise of agitation.
Speaking at the new Government House, Abakiliki, after signing the second phase of the Ring road project, funded by Africa Development Bank. (ADB), he explained that his choice of going against parents of hoodlums was to arrest the widespread violence.
He maintained that chairmen including the traditional rulers knows the hoodlums, their parents and even the various forests they are hiding but for their political interest for 2023, refused to expose them.
His words, “You council Chairmen, traditional rulers, you know the parents of these boys because any killing again, I will go after the parents of these boys so they can see how painful it takes to spill the blood of innocent people.
You know them, you even know their houses, families and friends, you know the forest where they are hiding, and all I’m asking is information but due to your political interest; may be to use them ahead of 2023 elections, you have refused to expose them. But it is not going to be business as usual again.”
He further charged local government chairmen and traditional rulers to preach to hoodlums now that the state government’s amnesty is still ongoing.
“But any one who fails to change, all I need from you is to bring up their names to me. But if you fail, you will bear the consequences of any of their actions against the people of this state again.
“And I’m telling you to ask them to come over and be empowered the issue is that they have nothing doing but I’m ready to get them something meaningful to do and stop killing our people.
“There should be no killings and burning of houses in my state,” he warned.
“Today, I announce that it has come to an end but if it happens again, you people will pay the price. All I need is information, l want them to take the amnesty, I am not going to arrest anybody I will empower them, integrate them but nobody should kill anybody again.
“There is nothing the South-East governors have not done but you see chairmen including traditional rulers folding their arms watching the killings.
“And from today any local government chairman or traditional rulers who fails to take up the responsibility of security in his domain will be prosecuted for not living up to his constitutional oath, enough is enough.”